Deja Vu: Edmonton Oilers Could Repeat History After Nugent-Hopkins Helps Team Take 3-2 Lead
The Edmonton Oilers have a positive track record when leading 3-2 in a conference final, but the Dallas Stars also have history from 1999 on their side.
The Edmonton Oilers have history on their side when leading 3-2 in an NHL conference final, even though it doesn't mean much.
They had that lead against the Chicago Blackhawks in 1985 and 1990. Both times, the Oilers finished the series in Game 6 and won the Stanley Cup final in five outings. They beat the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1985 final and the Boston Bruins in 1990.
The Oilers' win-loss order in the first five games of the 1990 conference final was also the same as that in this year's Western Conference final against the Dallas Stars.
Edmonton won the first game before losing two straight. They only allowed two goals against in Game 4 to tie it up before taking Game 5.
If the Oilers repeat the past on Sunday following their 3-1 win Friday night, they'll be on their way to the Stanley Cup final. And they'll get that opportunity at home after a big night from their longest-tenured player.
"The crowd's going to be buzzing, for sure," Oilers center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins told reporters in Dallas post-game. "They're going to be loud – they're going to be excited. For us, it's about controlling the emotions, playing within ourselves and just trusting our game is good enough to get the job done."
Nugent-Hopkins played an important role on Friday, scoring twice.
The 31-year-old opened the scoring on a backhand rebound shot past Stars netminder Jake Oettinger and then added another on a quick release that went post and in.
Both those goals came on two minutes of power-play time, but Nugent-Hopkins almost played as much time with the team shorthanded. He's stood strong with his teammates in killing 25 straight penalties, which tied a franchise record set in 1998, according to Sportsnet Stats.
"He's asked to do everything and just always delivers," said Nugent-Hopkins' teammate, Connor McDavid.
Nugent-Hopkins said he had a lot of fun having that type of game at this stage of the playoffs.
"This is why we play," he said. "This is why we work so hard at our craft. To get ourselves in these situations and to be part of a group like this, this is all you can ask for."
The Burnaby, B.C., native may not have been born until three years after that 1990 squad won the franchise's last Stanley Cup. But if "these situations" are anything like those situations 34 years ago, the Oilers are on the right track for Game 6.
Of course, any similarities between the two campaigns are purely coincidental. Besides, the Stars have some history on their side as well, as long as you look past last year's Game 6 Western Conference final loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.
In 1999, two rounds after sweeping the Oilers, the Stars lost Game 1 in the conference final against the Colorado Avalanche before taking a 2-1 series lead. They then lost two straight to trail 3-2. Sound familiar?
That time, the Stars won Games 6 and 7 by 4-1 scores to make it to the Cup final against the Buffalo Sabres, which they beat in six games. It was also the last time they won the championship.
The Stars have already faced elimination in this post-season against the Golden Knights in Game 7 of the first round before eliminating the Avalanche in the second. They were also the NHL's best team on the road in the regular season and are 6-2 away from home in the playoffs.
"This is the fun part – what do you have to lose here?" Stars center Tyler Seguin said. "Heck of a challenge in front of you... We've taken pride in how we've been on the road all year, so let's do it."
The puck drops for Game 6 on June 2 just after 8 p.m. ET. We'll see just how much history means to these teams then.
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